Venues play an important role in tourism

Justin Timberlake’s “Man of the Woods” tour stopped in Oklahoma City in January and made city history by the time it left.

The one-night show made $2.1 million in ticket sales revenue, making it the top-grossing show in the city’s history.

That success sent a wave through the industry, showing concert bookers that Chesapeake Energy Arena is a venue not to be flown over.

“The success of the shows creates other touring opportunities,” said Chris Semrau, general manager of the arena. “If the market is supporting artists through strong ticket sales, then other tours will want to play Oklahoma City.”

The arena is one of several venues that are big drivers in the city’s tourism industry. Other important venues are the Jim Norick Arena at the OKC Fairgrounds and USA Softball Championship Stadium.

Semrau said about 50% of show attendees are from the metro while the other half are from outside the region. He said it’s a window to the outside world for Oklahoma City residents; but by bringing in the biggest tours and sporting events, the arena helps shine a positive light on the region.

In March 2020, pop-music icon Cher will take the stage at the arena. Then in July, Elton John will see what Oklahoma City is all about when he brings his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour to town. The show stopped in Tulsa earlier this year.

Semrau said people should expect to see more big names announced before the year ends.

“We are at the point of a very aggressive approach to bringing in an increased number of tours to the city. But it’s vitally important to buy tickets right when they go on sale because that’s how we’ll continue to get these events,” he said.

By the time Elton John gets to town, another venue will be starting on a new chapter.

The expansion of the OGE Energy Field at the USA Softball Complex will be complete by the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), so after the May event, tournaments will return.

Typically, complex hosts more than 30 events between March and October annually. But the two-year construction project to expand the field meant USA Softball had to shut off its lights after the 2018 WCWS. USA Softball COO John Miller said it will be worth the wait, especially from a tourism standpoint.

“We will have a facility that no one else will have,” Miller said. “It will be a stadium built for softball that will be able to permanently seat 10,000 people. Then with the outfield seating, it will be about 14,000 people. There’s no place in the U.S. or Europe that will have a facility of this caliber.”

The WCWS has a fan following that comes every year, even if their team is not in the tournament, with 72% of attendees coming from outside the city. They fill up hotel rooms in Bricktown, fill up the spots at Twin Fountains RV Park, and fill seats at the restaurants around the city.

When the complex opens again, athletes of all ages will be able to continue their trips to Oklahoma City for a chance to play on the championship field. Miller said USA Softball is aiming to recruit a world softball or super regional tournament.

The city could get more tournaments in the coming years, not only because of the expansion of the USA Softball complex, but the city’s parks department spent nearly $1 million on the eight-field I-240 complex in the spring. As a governing sports body, Miller said the organization tries to have as many events in its facility as it can. But having the additional fields will help with recruiting larger tournaments that can play at I-240 and the championship field, all in the same weekend.

Getting the next big event is something that State Fair Park, Inc. (SFP) Marking and Sales Director Scott Munz and his team at SFP think about as well since the company manages the OKC Fairgrounds. One of the fairgrounds’ crucial venues is the Jim Norick Arena, which is the site for many national horse shows’ final performances, but it’s also home to the OSAA high school basketball championships, Disney on Ice during the Oklahoma State Fair, and several high school graduations.

The world’s largest junior livestock show, The Oklahoma Youth Expo, takes place in the arena each year as well. The 10-day event brings in 7,000 Oklahoma youth, generating a $25.4-million annual economic impact.

In 2018, there were 32 events held in the arena, with 15 being equine related and 17 being non-equine.

Keeping the 1960s-era arena operating and safe has cost about $8.4 million over the last 11 years. There has been $1.1 million spent on keeping the roof sealed and another $7.3 million on infrastructure, such as updates to meet compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, lighting, seating, scoreboard and the sound system.

 Munz said the arena is one of many facilities at the OKC Fairgrounds that help keep national-championship horse shows in Oklahoma City and help bring them to the city. In the last several years, the city has invested about $135 million into the city-owned fairgrounds to help keep the property competitive with the market and visitors’ expectations. That investment paid off in 2016 when the Arabian Horse Association’s Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show and Shopping Expo returned to the OKC Fairgrounds after moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

When the move was announced, Expo New Mexico General Manager Dan Mourning told the Albuquerque media that Oklahoma City’s facilities are unbelievably state of the art. He said OKC Fairgrounds have glitz and wow factor.

This time of year an especially busy one at the fairgrounds with five horse shows booked, starting at the end of the Oklahoma State Fair and continuing until the new year. Attendees will come from all over the globe to compete in the events, bringing their families and horse-care teams with them.

Those shows’ visitors are part of the 2.1-million folks who annually visit the fairgrounds, with 47% of people being from outside the city. In total, people coming to the fairgrounds generate more than 170,000 room nights in the city.